Page 25 of Texas Daze (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

“I have a delivery for Princess Diana and the Duchess of Boone. And another for Callie. Where do youwant’em?”

Marti wrinkled her brow in confusion. “Excuseme?”

“He has a delivery for—” Grishamstarted.

“I heard what he said. I’m justconfused.”

The guy shrugged. “Maybe this will explain it.” He handed her a longenvelope.

Marti ripped it openandread.

Dear PrincessDiana,

Congratulations on the Duchess’s birth. She’s a beauty for sure. Share your treatswithdad.

EliBoone.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she muttered. “Well, show me whatcha got,” she said to thedeliveryguy.

He opened the back of the truck and, with Grisham’s help, unloaded two wooden crates. Once that was done, he nodded, climbed in his truckandleft.

“Get a hammer or something and let’s prytheseopen.”

“Got one while I was waitin’,” he said. He pulled a couple of nails that held on the lid and lifted the wooden top. “Goodness,” he said. Grisham was grinning like he’d just won alottery.

Marti shook her head with a chuckle. Inside was carrots, apples, pumpkin, bananas, grapes and a tin of horse peppermints. “What’s in theotherone?”

A letter layinside.

Good morning, Callie. Hope all your kittens are nursing well. Enjoy the treats. EliBoone

In this crate was cat chow and kitten chow, for when the kittens were ready for food other than Callie’s milk, and a number of ropes and other climbing toys, sure to keep everyone in the feline familyhappy.

“I can’t believe he did this.” She stared at the crates, her mind running a million thoughts at one time. She’d kind of written him off, decided he’d come to the same conclusion as she about the combination of oil and water. This was…well, so unbelievablysweet.

“The man’s smitten,”Grishamsaid.

“No, he’s not. He’s just…thoughtful.”

Thoughtful. Yes, that’s what he was. His mother had obviously taught himmanners.

“Say what you will, but no man is this thoughtful unless he’ssmitten.”

She smiled, Grisham’s words meaning more than he know. “Nah,” she said. “Just being aniceguy.”

Grisham snorted but, to her relief, changed the subject. “You get all the calvestagged?”

“Nope, but I had an idea. Let’s do the tagging when we do the vaccinations. No reason not to,right?”

“Well, we’ve always taggedbeforethat.”

“But do we have to? I mean. Pedro and I spent all morning chasing calves and pissing off mommas. The mommas know which calfishers.”

Grisham shrugged. “Okay. We’ll try it your way this year. Your daddy would have astroke.”

Marti laughed. “Let’s not mention this to him when he calls, okay? Nothing gained if we don’t try new stuff. Be sure that Princess gets some treats but make sure to spread it out among all the horses. Heavens knows Princess is spoiledenough.”

He nodded. “If that isn’t the truth. Rest of the horses willenjoyit.”

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